Environmental Sustainability E-Newsletter from the City of Colorado Springs

Green Team Aug. 27 Adopt-A-Waterway and recycle community event a success!

On Thursday, Aug. 27, the City of Colorado Springs Green Team invited the community to come out and join them for an Adopt-A-Waterway clean-up over an extended lunch hour. Work, sun, fun and food was enjoyed by all as attendees cleaned up along the waterway. With an important conservation twist, the group also recycled as much of the collected material as possible.In a show of community partnership over 50 attendees from eight different organizations, plus the general public, tuned out. Click here for photos. Thanks to all who made this event such a huge success!

City employees inspired by the art of recyclingCity employees have been recycling paper for years. At the same time, many employees have cared enough to take recycling a step further by collecting and sorting the recyclables generated in their office areas for recycling at home. Now that all of the Colorado Springs waste providers offer single-stream recycling, the City is embracing this new way to recycle... with a creative twist. Click here to learn more about the City's Adopt-A-Recycle Bin program and decorating contest. Read More...

Though City employees accumulated more than 1,190 alternative transportation commuter miles during an internal Green Team and Metro Rides challenge, the most inspiring result came from the numerous City employees who nominated Bob Rais (Youth Director at MeadowsParkCommunity Center) who won the tile of "Rockin' Rider 2009". Rais (pictured with winner's bike innertube crown and bike pump scepter) not only models the use of alternative transportation himself, but he encourages the youth he mentors to incorporate "green" modes of transportation in their lifestyles as well.

Composting is a form of recycling that prevents filling our landfills, reduces pollution, and enriches soils. According the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 24 percent of U.S. solid waste could be composted. Click here to visit Your Hub for a first-hand account on how Fleet Finance and Environmental Sustainability Manager Nick Kittle recently built a bin from reused materials to begin composting at home. Kicking off this pretty simple process may just be easier than you thought.

Going greener - upcoming events:

Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 - City/Utilities 2009 Green Fair... The City of Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities are teaming up once again to bring residents, the downtown business community and 50 exhibitors together. Attend 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the City Auditorium, 221 E. Kiowa Street, to learn about going green in our community!

Transportation information... attendees are encouraged to walk, bicycle, carpool, or ride a bus (the downtown bus terminal is located just one block west of the event). Bicycle racks are available across the street from the City Auditorium at City Hall. Parking is available for $1 per hour, per vehicle in the City's Kiowa Parking Garage one block west of the event.

BYO mug... this is intended to be a waste-free event, therefore bring your own beverage container to enjoy tea, coffee and water.